Technical CTO who delivers, not just advises
Get executive-level technology leadership without hiring a full-time CTO. UK-based hands-on architectural depth, AI-augmented delivery, and strategic guidance to help your business ship reliably and reduce technical risk.
Your business depends on technology, but you don't have a full-time CTO or aren't ready to hire one. You need someone who understands both business strategy and technical architecture. Someone who can own tech decisions, de-risk projects, and deliver results.
A fractional CTO engagement gives you executive-level technology leadership on your schedule. Whether you need strategic planning for a major initiative, interim leadership during a transition, or ongoing technical advisory, you get senior expertise when you need it, without the full-time commitment or cost.
I bring over a decade of hands-on CTO and architect experience across complex technical environments. This isn't just strategic advice. It's architectural depth, AI-augmented delivery practices, and the experience to know what works (and what doesn't).
Align your technology decisions with business objectives. I assess your current architecture, identify risks and opportunities, and create a clear roadmap that positions your business for growth, not just technical polish.
Hands-on architectural guidance for complex systems. From microservices design to legacy modernisation, I provide peer-level technical depth that de-risks decisions and ensures your architecture can evolve as your business changes.
Build and strengthen your technical team without expensive mis-hires. I evaluate team capability, support recruitment, establish engineering standards, and mentor your developers to improve delivery quality and speed.
Learn how to leverage AI effectively in your development process. I demonstrate proven AI-augmented practices including documentation automation, risk assessment tools, and code analysis. I help your team adopt AI where it accelerates delivery without sacrificing quality.
Preparing for investment or acquisition? I assess technical risk, architecture quality, and team capability, providing the technical validation investors and boards need to make confident decisions.
As a fractional CTO, I combine technical depth with strategic leadership. I've built authorisation services from scratch, designed complex domain models, and implemented AI-augmented development practices that deliver measurable results. For example, reducing a 3-month discovery process to 1 week using AI-powered analysis tools.
I work alongside your team, not above them. That means hands-on architectural reviews, code-level guidance when needed, and mentorship that builds your team's capability. I know the difference between technical decisions that enable growth and those that create technical debt.
My approach is pragmatic and opinionated. I'll tell you when AI can accelerate your delivery and when it introduces unnecessary risk. I'll recommend the boring, proven solution over the shiny new framework when that's what your business needs. And I'll translate technical complexity into language that boards and stakeholders actually understand.
Whether you're scaling a platform, modernising legacy systems, or making critical technology decisions, you get a partner who's seen it before and knows how to navigate the complexity.
A fractional CTO engagement is right for you when:
A fractional CTO provides executive-level technology leadership on a part-time basis, typically 1-3 days per week. You get the strategic guidance, architectural oversight, and leadership experience of a senior CTO without the commitment and cost of a full-time hire. This model is ideal for growth-stage businesses that need CTO-level expertise but don't yet require or can't afford a permanent executive.
Consider a fractional CTO when you're facing major technology decisions (architecture choices, vendor selection, technical team building), experiencing repeated delivery issues, or preparing for significant growth. Common triggers include securing funding, planning digital transformation, or when your technical founder needs to focus on other aspects of the business. If technology is critical to your success but not your core expertise, a fractional CTO provides the trusted leadership you need.
Yes. A professional fractional CTO takes time to understand your business model, competitive landscape, and industry constraints. My approach includes discovery sessions with key stakeholders, review of existing systems and documentation, and ongoing engagement with your team. With over a decade of CTO experience across multiple sectors, I bring both deep technical expertise and the ability to quickly grasp domain-specific challenges.
A fractional CTO complements your existing team by providing strategic direction, architectural oversight, and senior leadership without replacing your developers or technical leads. I work collaboratively, empowering your team through clear decision-making frameworks, technical mentoring, and removing roadblocks. My role is to elevate your team's capabilities, not micromanage their work. Many clients find their teams become more effective and confident with consistent CTO-level guidance.
Clients typically see clearer technology strategy and roadmaps, reduced project risk and delivery issues, better architectural decisions, and improved team confidence. Specific outcomes include faster, more reliable delivery (I compressed a 3-month discovery phase to 1 week using AI-augmented practices), authorisation services built from scratch with robust security, and board-ready technology communication. You gain the strategic clarity and technical leadership needed to scale your business without expensive missteps.
I work on a day rate of £800-1,000 per day for fractional CTO engagements, typically 1-3 days per week on retainer arrangements of 6 months or more. This model gives you senior strategic technology leadership without the commitment and cost of a full-time hire. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.
Working with Michael was an absolute pleasure. He was the border between the developers and the business and always managed to handle both sides' expectations and took the stress of the business on to himself to give the developers enough room to do amazing work. A great developer as well. Always a laugh, great personality, light hearted and I would definitely work with him again at a moment's notice.
Michael doesn't just tackle challenges; he approaches them with a no-nonsense attitude, cutting through complexities with a level of precision that's truly impressive. His ability to break down intricate problems and come up with elegant solutions is not only commendable but also a testament to his exceptional problem-solving skills.